Non Teaching Staff end three months strike in Public Universities

The over three months old strike of the non-teaching staff of the Nigerian Universities was called off, 14th March 2018.
The non-teaching staff of universities comprise of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT).
It could be recalled that the three unions under the umbrella body of Joint Action Committee (JAC) commenced the industrial action on December 4th, 2017, to protest the Federal Government’s failure to implement their part of 2009 agreement.
Other issues in contention bordered on non-payment of allowances, usurpation of non- teaching staff jobs by academic staff, disobedience of the National Industrial Courts order on funding of staff schools as well as corruption in the University system among others.
The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), of the three Unions Comrade Samson Ugwoke made the announcement of the suspension of the strike, while addressing press conference at the NAAT conference Secretariat in Abuja last Wednesday.
The agreement reached between Government and the non-teaching of universities was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwukah, President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, President of NAAT, Comrade Sani Suleiman, and General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters Adeyemi.
Mr Ugwoke said though the strike had been suspended, they would not hesitate to resume the action if Government reneges on the agreements reached or delays in any aspects of the agreement.
He stated that, the trust Government enjoyed was being eroded by failure to fulfilled its side of the agreement. He emphasized that if government fail to honour the current agreement the outcome and reaction would be grievous to the system. He said “Government has only Five weeks to implement all issues agreed upon and that at the expiration of the period, members would gather at the Ministry of Labour and Employment to report the level of compliance.”
The Union regretted the pain the strike caused to students and parents explaining that their members were also affected as their children also attend Nigerian Universities. Mourned Ngwoke, on behalf of the Unions directed all members of the three unions to resume work from March 15th, 2018.